Former Barcelona and Brazil defender Juliano Belletti has backed the Catalan giants to win the UEFA Champions League.
Speaking in an interview with SPORT, former Barcelona defender Juliano Belletti has tipped the club to go the distance in the UEFA Champions League in the upcoming season.
Belletti had a three-year spell with Barcelona after arriving from fellow La Liga club Villarreal in the summer of 2004. The former Brazilian international enjoyed a successful stint at Camp Nou, winning two La Liga titles and the UEFA Champions League in 2005/06.
Belletti, who made 103 appearances for the Blaugrana before joining Chelsea in 2007, scored the winning goal for Barcelona in their Champions League final in 2005/06.
During the interview, the former right-back was asked if fans will get a chance to relive such a moment anytime soon, to which he replied: “We will see it again (laughs). Why not this season?”, in the process, backing Barcelona to win the continental competition.
? Legends Thierry Henry and Belletti during their visit to the Barcelona Academy in Miami ?? pic.twitter.com/FBpa6CD5X3
— Capricorn ♑ (@Cule_Capricorn) July 18, 2022
Belletti also spoke about Barcelona president Joan Laporta and what he brings to the table for the club, saying: “Confidence, hope, it is not easy to take on this responsibility, with the pressure that exists at the moment, but everything will be solved by working as hard as possible so that everything returns to normal.”
The former Chelsea defender also hailed Barcelona’s new signing, Robert Lewandowski, who joined the Catalans from Bayern Munich in a deal worth a total amount of €50 million, including add-ons.
“He is a great footballer, he has a nose for goal, he has his history, he’s a competitive character and personality, he is also already in a small way the face of the club and he comes after a great time at Bayern. All this infects a dressing room, he is a player who scores goals and of course, he will have pressure to do well, but he is a signing that will give us a lot of joy,” Belletti said.
Talking about the direction the club is headed under Xavi, Belletti said: “He is already building it, he knows the way to do it. We have continued to talk since he was in Doha and now again here. He has the personality to, and the responsibility. He is a very intelligent guy and he also has the support of the fans, including mine of course. I know how he is as a person and he is going to put Barça back where they belong.”
